A US based and secessionist association, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has of late, stepped up its anti-India activities – of challenging the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India by espousing the agenda of “Khalistan”. It has expanded its modus-operandi to gain wider publicity and traction through social media and web-portals for propaganda, registration drives for a Referendum in 2020 (R-2020), recruitment of volunteers and engagement of “international experts” to oversee R-2020 etc.
SFJ’s Background
Sikhs for justice (SFJ) was established on 14 October 2007 in US with headquarters at Empire Estate building of New York by pro-Khalistan elements Kuldeep Singh Kangewal, Sukhdarshan Singh, Boota Singh, Gurdev Singh Kang, And Ravinder Kaur Malhi. Its activities and objectives directly challenge the territorial integrity of India by espousing an agenda for creation of 'Khalistan' - a separate country for Sikh community, through violent and violence instigating actions. Their main objective is radicalisation of Sikh youth for recruitment in terror related activities. SFJ is a front for radicalising Sikh youth and subsequently recruiting them as 'foot-soldiers' for affiliate terrorist groups. These youth, radicalised by SFJ, are later exploited by the terror groups for carrying out violent actions in Punjab and elsewhere in India. SFJ was declared an unlawful association by the government of India on July 10, 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
Structure
The information on its organisational structure and membership of the SFJ is scarce. It has so called additional centres for its secessionist campaign 'R-2020' in Vancouver and London. Furthermore, there is no known source of income and fund raising. SFJ's chief proponent is a New York based Attorney, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. However, more incriminating is the association of SFJ with fugitive terrorists. 'R-2020' is being spearheaded by terrorists like Paramjit Singh Pamma in the UK, Ranjit Singh Neeta In Pakistan, among others. All of them are wanted in India for involvement in terror-related offences and are designated terrorists (except Shastri) under UA(P)A, 1967.
Links with Pakistan
Pakistan based anti-India element Gopal Singh Chawla who is known to be close to Pakistani establishment and also the designated terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, headed SJF's Pakistan chapter. However, during bilateral negotiations on the opening of Shree Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, India's strong objections compelled Pakistan to somewhat disassociate with SFJ. Till October 2018, websites of SFJ were created, maintained and hosted (at a domain https://snip.pk) by a Pakistan based company. They were discontinued only after exposure in the media.
Violent actions and criminal activities
There are about 25 criminal cases registered and under various stages of investigations against SFJ by India’s Central Security Agencies and State Police forces of Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand. Incidents like that of violence and intimidation for hours by a mob of SFJ supporters and Pak diaspora at the Independence Day (August 15) celebrations at Indian High Commission, London in 2019 are examples. Officials and Punjab police personnel have been threatened with physical violence to deter them from acting against the outfit.
Recent activities to destabilize Punjab
SFJ also tried to exploit and manipulate the distress emanating from the current Covid-19 pandemic by instigating Sikh soldiers and police personnel. SFJ persistently makes seditious calls to Sikh soldiers. During recent tension at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the Indo-China border, SFJ called on Sikh soldiers to desert the Indian Army incentivising them with Rs.5000/- in addition to their existing salary. By targeting the fight against pandemic, SFJ also called for 'Punjab bandh' on August 31 to celebrate the killing of a sitting Chief Minister of Punjab, who was killed in a ghastly terror attack in 1995.
Fake news and threats
From peddling fake news to incite and mislead people to attacking communal harmony SFJ's recent propaganda also focuses on instigation of Sikhs to choose between Khanda (Sikh religious symbol) and Tiranga (Indian national flag), implying that the two cannot coexist peacefully. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun threatened other communities to force them to leave the Indian state of Haryana (neighbouring Punjab) citing that it would soon be a part of a nation state of the Sikhs , 'Khalistan'.
Unlawful activities
They further allured different sections of population to commit unlawful activities and reportedly started offering monetary incentives to people in Punjab to carry out unlawful activities, while leveraging agitating farmers in Punjab to raise “Khalistani” flags and to initiate anti India slogan/graffiti writing on their walls. SFJ is claiming that “BJP is committing 'economic genocide' like the Indian National Congress committed Sikh genocide”. Since March 2020 SFJ has given multiple seditious calls to Indian Muslims to seek 'Urduistan', a separate country for Muslims. It has also instigated the people of Tamil Nadu to secede from India.
